Many consumer computing devices include one or more touch-based input components of some sort, such as a keyboard, touch screen, mouse, trackpad, buttons or the like. The experience of a computing device user can be affected by feedback generated during actuation of the input component or components, such as resistance to, smoothness of, and range of movement, among others. Typically, users find certain combinations of touch-based feedback more pleasing to the touch than others. In addition, users often find compact and sleek designs more aesthetically appealing from a visual standpoint.
Although popular, a computer mouse tends to require a flat and rigid surface on which to move. It has thus become common practice to provide a mouse alternative, such as a trackpad or touchpad, in mobile computing devices, such as laptop computers, portable media players, and so forth. A conventional touchpad assembly typically includes operational circuitry enclosed within an outer housing, as well as a touch sensitive surface exposed to receive finger swipes, gestures, clicking actions, or other touch events provided by the user. In this way, a typical mobile computing device can have the option of providing a keyed input, such as that provided by a keyboard or keypad, as well as a touchpad in lieu of a mouse.
Unfortunately, the design and manufacture of relatively complex components, such as touchpads, is not always simple and straightforward. For example, while sleek and compact designs that are visually appealing tend to be desirable, such designs tend to result in relatively compact enclosures that leave little room for a wide range of movement. In addition to simple touch detection at an exposed surface, some touchpad designs can also require some form of stronger force sensing, particularly where a built-in button click action function is desired. In fact, the implementation of some types of designs and features to help detect such a built-in button click action on a compact touchpad have proven to be difficult.
While many designs and techniques used with respect to assembling computing system components have generally worked well in the past, there is always a desire to provide further designs and techniques for the assembly of computer systems and components that are reliable and aesthetically pleasing. In particular, what is desired are improved designs and techniques that enable the manufacture of compact touchpads having the ability to detect surface touches as well as stronger click action actuations by a user.